Article Views:
148
Ezine ready page
Ezine ready page
Posted on April 1, 2006 by Adam Haymer | Posted under Shopping and Product Reviews
Buying A Surplus Air Compressor
|
Most buyers are familiar with the basics like tanks size, CFM, PSI, and horsepower. But there are plenty of other factors that need to be determined to ensure you are getting the right compressor for the jobs at hand. Let's look at a few. The two types of compressors are direct drive and belt drive and determining which is right for you means you need to understand the differences as well as the pros and cons.There are some excellent compressors under both categories. The biggest problem you will face is being able to pick out a good direct drive compressor. Too often these compressors were designed for the big department stores so that they could keep the cost down. It also meant a low quality compressor. Direct drive means that the compressor is directly connected to the motor shaft so both pieces turn the same speed which is either 3450 or 1725 RPM. Generally they are the lower RPM at 1725. In these low end units the compressors spin twice as fast so they can get more air out while still keeping prices down. The trouble is the noise is almost impossible to bear and the life expectancy of the unit is about 25% of any other machine. There are still a few good direct drive compressors made for the industrial market. These smaller sizes are great for any job that requires portability. After all moving around a large compressor is just about impossible. Usually direct drives are oilless which is needed for applications like breathing air. If a low rpm compressor is top quality you'll get a good life out of the machine even though it is direct drive but stay completely away from the high rpm compressors in this category. If portability isn't an issue or if a high volume is needed a belt drive oil lubricated compressor is the best value. That said watch for high speed aluminum pumps that are priced too good to be true. There is a reason - the have a very short life expectancy. Many of today's belt drive compressors are what is called splash lubrication. There are small dippers on the bottom of the connecting rods and it is designed to splash oil up around the crankcase. This is a handy system with a long expectancy as long as there is enough oil in crankcase. Some compressors have positive pressure lubrication which is like a car engine. It uses an oil pump to force oil into the bearing journals. What's nice about this system is you can run the pump as hard as you need to. If you don't need portability you'll get the best value from an oil lubricated belt drive compressor. About The Author: Adam works as a air compressor technician for over 7 years. For his work, he finds it advantageous to keep a notebook on the common problems and fixes of the various brands and models that he works on. At http://www.aircompressorhut.com, he makes this information open to the public to facilitate the evaluation of the different air compressor. |
Tags:
